Maria João Abreu always dreamed of gaining international experience — to learn new ways of working and to immerse herself in different cultures. Starting with a degree in Communication Sciences from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, she later added a master’s in Business Science to her toolkit. Her career kicked off in Lisbon, from advertising at J. Walter Thompson to marketing and project management roles at Indesit and Altran. After three years at BNP Paribas working with global teams, she joined Devoteam Lisbon as chief of staff.
Her close collaboration with Devoteam’s French teams opened the door to a new challenge: relocating to Paris. Now as Operations Manager for Devoteam’s ServiceNow business, Maria João balances managing internal operations across 17 countries with maintaining a strategic partnership with ServiceNow itself. From tracking KPIs to organizing international hackathons, her role blends leadership, tech innovation, and cross-border teamwork.
What drives her? The constant innovation in tech and the talented, dedicated people she works alongside. Her management style? Total transparency and open communication — arming her team with info so they can make smart, timely decisions, and knowing it’s okay to learn from mistakes.
Life in Paris is “dynamic and never boring,” she says, where she enjoys the city’s vibrant culture, friendly people, and daily walks. What’s different between French and Portuguese teams? Similar work culture overall, but the French speak up more boldly — and lunches are often quick sandwiches at the desk.
What does she miss most from Portugal? Family, friends, the sea — and a good bowl of soup.
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